We recently experienced our first cool spell that drove my pond’s water temperatures from 75º to 62º. It made me realize that it’s getting time to prepare our fish for cold days ahead. It’s important to put our finny friends to bed for the winter properly, helping prepare them for their awakening in spring, the most dangerous time of the year for our pets.

When water temperatures are consistently below 62º it’s time to cut back on feeding. During the summer I feed my fish 4 times a day. At 62º I cut back to twice daily. I also highly recommend switching to a wheat germ food. You may also occasionally substitute steamed rice, pasta and canned early peas. These are low in protein and easily digestible.

Once the water temperature reaches 50º -- stop feeding. Some people advocate feeding wheat germ food at any temperature as long as the fish will eat. I do not agree with that theory for the Metro Atlanta climate. In warmer climates, as in ours, it is unusual for water temperatures to constantly remain under 50º for more than 10 to 12 weeks. This is the time when fish are virtually "dormant" and eating becomes stressful. Fish have no stomachs. If a fish eats in very cold water the food may not be digested and could lead to an internal bacterial infection called Sepsis. Why subject our fish to stress when the dormant time is so short?

I recommend salting your pond in the fall. Remove plants and administer 0.3% (3 lbs. per 100 gals) non-iodized, mineral-free salt. Make a 50% water change after 3 weeks and clean the pond well. By this time it’ll probably be early or middle November. All leaves should have fallen so a good cleaning will remove any mulm and leaves, allowing our fish a clean bed for the winter. Ponds that winter over full of leaves and mulm are havens for parasites, aeromonas and pseudomonas. I hope everyone covered their ponds with leaf netting if their ponds are around trees. Netting is an inexpensive way to make the pond cleaning much easier.

If you have a sump pump, raise it to a higher position, perhaps onto a plant shelf or milk crate. This will leave the warmer water on the bottom and only re-circulate the cool water on top. You should also slow down the flow of water from your pump with a ball valve or some other type of restriction. Colder water does not need to be oxygenated as much as warm water.

Clean your filter but do not bypass it! The bacteria are still alive but, like our fish, become semi-dormant. If your pond freezes over, melt the ice with a heater. There are several on the market designed for this. Be sure it has a heat guard. DO NOT crack or break the ice with a hammer. By leaving your pump running at 1/3 to 1/2 capacity, the pond should not completely freeze, leaving an outlet for toxic gases to escape.

Fish tend to lose their feeling of security during the winter. There are less plants — thus fewer hiding places. If your pond isn’t too deep, you can make a shelter for your fish. I cut the end out of a large, round plastic trash can then cut it in half lengthwise and place both sides on the floor of the pond with the curved end up, forming a tunnel.